unholy trinity
by Mimiv
Summary: au. the unholy trinity in a modern setting where relationships, among other things, get messy. suzaku/c.c./lelouch.
1. Chapter 1

There were many reasons to dislike C.C. That she took up so much of his best friend's time and energy was one of them. That she was a selfish woman who didn't deserve his attention was another. And that she was, in all senses of the word, a _bitch_ was perhaps the worst of all.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Suzaku never approved of their relationship. She hung on him like a leech, and if he knew Lelouch, which he did, he needed someone he could trust, someone who could take care of him properly when he was too busy to do so himself. Someone like Shirley, and he and Shirley may very well have gotten together if _she_ hadn't shown up.

There was a glint in her eye, something about the way she carried herself and the curve of her lip when she smirked. She was bad news, and he tried telling him that from the very start. Sure, he was hurting. They all were, but that didn't mean he should let a woman like her take advantage of him. Lelouch didn't listen, though. He didn't disagree with Suzaku, but he didn't agree either. Then, hardly two weeks later, she moved in with him. Lelouch, as steadfast an advocate for order and cleanliness as there ever was, now lived with empty pizza boxes and dirty clothes constantly strewn across the floor. And his friend didn't seem much happier for it either. At one point, Suzaku thought that, well, if she could bring him some peace of mind, then maybe she was worth it. But that didn't seem to be the case. He didn't change for the better in the slightest. In fact, he almost looked more worn down.

It was her fault. He was sure of it.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

It was the day after the new year that Suzaku visited his friend with a conciliatory bottle of wine, his well wishes, and renewed determination to talk Lelouch out of this relationship. His knuckles rapped against the small townhouse door, and the familiar gesture—

(pink hair, hand wrapped around his, lilting voice calling through the door for her brother to hurry)

—made his throat close. He had to cough to force air through. A year later, and it was still too soon to think about her without his stomach dropping and his chest clenching. His grip on the wine tightened til the cap dug into the palm of his hand to the point of drawing blood. Before it could, the door opened abruptly, and all his negative feelings dissipated as a cheery voice greeted him.

"Suzaku!"

Nunnally rolled forward in her wheelchair and grabbed his hand tightly in hers.

"Happy New Year! We missed you last night!"

Suzaku laughed lightly and leaned forward to take her hand fully in his palm. "Happy New Year to you too, Nunnally. I'm sorry; Cécile invited me to a party at Llyod's, and I couldn't refuse again after last year. Next year, though."

She mirrored his laugh and nodded resolutely. "It's a promise, then."

Her bright eyes were an exact copy of Lelouch's. All three of them had always been close, but he was a bit surprised to see her. Time had perked up all her girly features. She was practically a woman now.

"Is Rolo here too?" he asked next, stepping across the threshold as Nunnally rolled back and then forward to nudge the door shut behind him.

"He was. He left earlier this morning because, um."

She lowered her tone of voice.

"Well, he doesn't like Miss C.C., you know, so."

"Ah."

Suzaku didn't need further explanation. Lelouch's younger brother shared much of his same views on the woman.

"Is Lelouch home, then?"

He set the wine in Nunnally's outstretched hands and wandered further into the living room.

"Sorry. He left to run some errands, but he should be back soon. Miss C.C. is here, though."

He wished he misheard her words from the kitchen, but he didn't, and he cringed. The one person he didn't want to see was the one person around. The irony was almost too much.

And speak of the devil—

C.C. leaned over the handrail from the second floor, her green hair falling over her shoulders to frame her face and pretty yellow eyes. They reminded him of a cat's, sly and cunning.

"Hello, C.C.," he said coldly, refusing to meet her gaze as he shifted from where he stood and entered the living room, away from the stairs and her suggestive pose. She was in nothing but his dress shirt yet again with the same overstuffed eyesore of a doll clutched at her side.

"Hello, Suzaku."

There was something about the way she said his name that rubbed him the wrong way. He wanted to snap at her for it, but he cleared his throat instead and took a seat on the couch. She brought out the worst in him, she really did.

"Oh, Miss C.C., the pizza man came. I left the boxes on the dining room table. You can have some too, Suzaku!"

C.C. snapped her head in Suzaku's direction and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. Her mouth formed the words, "no, you can't," and Suzaku snorted.

"It's alright, Nunnally," he called, "I ate a big breakfast."

He watched her skip the last two steps and land on the hardwood floors with a soft slap before padding into the kitchen. Her hair fell past the small of her back, but the short length of the dress shirt and the way it shifted as her hips swung with every step made it hard not to notice the light colored underwear she sported underneath. Suzaku tried not to stare and made sure his eyes were focused elsewhere when she reentered the room, plush doll in one hand and pizza slice in the other.

She sat on the couch opposite him, completely unabashed about her scant clothing. She no longer seemed aware of him as all her attention was directed to the string of cheese stretching from the crust to her bottom lip.

"You should probably get dressed," Suzaku commented as casually as he could, "I'm sure Lelouch—"

"Lelouch doesn't mind," she interrupted, "And besides, you came so early."

"It's eleven."

She shrugged, and awkward silence reigned from there, punctated only by the sound of her chewing and that of water boiling in the kitchen.

"I'll make us all some tea," Nunnally chirped.

Suzaku voiced his agreement then turned his eyes on C.C. a second time. There was contempt in his gaze that his general good nature couldn't even mask. Only the few buttons across her chest were done, and it made her look bustier than she actually was. His eyes traveled down to her long legs folded neatly behind one another. Her pale skin looked soft and supple to the touch.

Before he realized he was staring, she called him out on it.

"You can do more than just look, you know."

He nearly choked but managed to catch himself beforehand. Rather, he leaned back, crossed his arms, and scoffed.

"I'm just waiting for Lelouch."

She was done eating by then and began licking the grease and sauce from her fingers, trying to catch Suzaku's eyes as she did so.

"You don't have to be so cold, White Knight. I know your relationship with Lelouch."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning," she started, leaving her doll to sit beside him. "You're jealous."

"Of him?" Suzaku laughed.

"Of me."

Her sharp, piercing eyes finally caught his, and the effect was heightened by the knowing smirk that spread across her face at the same time.

"Please," Suzaku countered, unflinching, "You're just making things up as you go."

"Fine," she conceded, and before his mind could register the shifting of weight, she'd positioned her legs on either side of him.

C.C. straddled his lap with a mixed look of boredom and superiority and leaned forward, her lips ghosting against his.

"—Of him."

* * *

**author's note:** uh wow HI um it's been a while :,D long story short, i'm a college student now, but i'm back on my code geass kick. i've just really really really been inspired to write some suzaku/c.c./lelouch fic lately, and here we are! there really are too few c.c./suzaku fics which is a shame because since their relationship wasn't much explored in canon, i think that leaves ample room for interpretation! but anyways, this is alternate universe. this chapter was mostly setting up initial dynamics, and i'm still not 100% sure where i want to take this fic, but ugh, the shield/sword dynamic is just too great, and i'll try my best to translate it out of the code geass setting. please enjoy, and if you have any suggestions, please leave u3u


	2. Chapter 2

Suzaku's mind blanked. The words caught in his throat when he tried to speak which was exactly the sort of reaction C.C. had been fishing for. His expression—a little dazed, a little angry as his mind churned for a proper response—gave her endless amusement, so she took it a little further and let her weight settle. Her thighs brushed against some of his more sensitive parts, and that's when the confusion cleared from his dark green eyes, replaced by the same hard glint that he'd greeted her with.

His hands forcefully latched onto either side of her hips. It seemed he was intent on throwing her off, but the click of the front door's lock took both of them by surprise. Suzaku froze; C.C. swiveled her head in the direction of the sound. Before the realization could fully sink in, Nunnally's voice was greeting her brother and Lelouch was in the living room.

His eyes were downcast and his hands ladled with grocery bags. The first thought in Suzaku's mind? Slight surprise that he could support all that weight in one trip. The second? _She was still sitting in his lap_.

He could feel the heat rising to his ears and spreading across his face. He wasn't affected by things like this on a normal basis, and he wouldn't have been if she'd just had the _tact_ to—to, well, _stop_ whatever it was she was doing. The moment Lelouch had walked into the room, though, it seemed C.C. had forgotten about him. All her attention was now on her black-haired companion as she pressed a hand against Suzaku's chest to steady herself and tilted her head in the other's direction.

Suzaku's hands were still on her hips. He was torn between throwing her off and—and—and, _well_, nothing because maybe, just maybe, if he did nothing, Lelouch wouldn't notice? Or else—

His mind raced to come up with excuses, but it was difficult when he didn't know what C.C. was doing in the first place. He was so wrapped up in internal dialogue that he almost missed what she said next.

"Welcome home, Lelouch."

Lelouch didn't respond, merely frowned at the back of a brown packaging of coffee as he slipped his arms from his winter jacket, first one and then slowly the other.

He pivoted abruptly, presumably to hang his coat, and in that time, Suzaku regained his senses and hissed as quietly and fiercely as he could, "_C.C.! _Get off—"

"Did you buy pizza?" C.C. called, shifting, almost clamping down on him harder. After a brief pause, a few footsteps, and some faint chatter (Nunnally's soft tones, Lelouch's deep tenor), Lelouch's voice drifted from the kitchen.

"Does it look like I did?" The exasperation was obvious and then, almost immediately with an undertone of disgust, "—And _there's already pizza here_."

The direction of his voice shifted slightly; he was reentering the living room. Before Suzaku could hiss a second time, Lelouch had passed the threshold and stopped. Suzaku was certain he'd seen them this time; he was practically staring directly at them. There was a pregnant pause. C.C.'s fingers curled playfully into his shirt, and he was honestly about to shout at her when she dismounted as arbitrarily as she'd gotten on. Her long legs slipped to one side, and she was gone, floating over to meet Lelouch beside the groceries still piled against one another on the floor. There was the slightest hint of a cheeky grin on her face, if it could be called that.

Suzaku stood up quickly, ready to explain with his face still flushed and his tongue a bit dry. She was just toying with him. She was just toying with him _and _trying to make Lelouch jealous. If that didn't make her a witch of a girl, then he didn't know what did. The anger and chagrin at being used and at the misunderstanding it'd surely cause made Suzaku start talking much louder than he wanted.

"Lelouch! I—I mean, I just—It wasn't—"

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Lelouch laughed, a genuine smile sliding onto his face as he stepped forward and outstretched his hand.

Suzaku stared at it, dumbfounded, for a good three or four seconds before he got his bearings and returned the gesture.

"Y-Yeah! It's been, uh, busy," he tittered hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand as he watched C.C. rummage through the grocery bags from the corner of his eye.

When she found nothing she liked, she simply sat down again.

Suzaku wet his lips. He supposed if Lelouch wasn't going to comment on it, then neither would he.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

It took another five or ten minutes to finish storing the groceries, Suzaku doing most of the heavy lifting despite Lelouch's insistence that he could do it alone just fine. An acerbic quip from C.C. about upper body strength, though, preoccupied the dark-haired male til Suzaku was nearly done.

"—In any case," Lelouch heaved, and C.C. knew she'd won. As much as she could win, anyways, against his stubborn wit.

Using up so many words made her hungry again. She began drifting after Suzaku in search of more pizza, but Lelouch suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. There was a frown creased on his brow. C.C. cocked her head to one side and waited, curious, but the look on her face said she already knew what he wanted to say.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop," he murmured, voice deliberately lower than during their little debate.

"I was just being friendly," C.C. hummed.

"Friendly," Lelouch deadpanned, releasing her before Suzaku could get within earshot.

"Being friendly doesn't violate our contract," she managed just as the other came up and caught the very last word of the sentence.

_Contract_. Suzaku wondered what they were talking about, but he didn't get very far in his line of thought. The tray on which he carried the teacups and teapot tilted, and Nunnally gasped lightly behind him.

"It's ready!" she chirped once everything was settled. Her wheelchair hit the short edge of the coffee table, and she laced her fingers in her lap. "Sorry it took so long. I wanted to find the nice cups since we're finally all together again."

With that, she reached for both boys' hands and held onto them firmly, her left on Suzaku's and her right in Lelouch's.

C.C. settled beside Lelouch, very familiar and close, while Suzaku took the opposite couch and Nunnally separated them in the middle. The youngest of them, Nunnally tied them together. In fact, without Nunnally, Suzaku and Lelouch may never have becomes friends. Try as the girl might, though, Suzaku was convinced she'd never be able to make him like C.C.

Some time after Nunnally served the tea and after the initial pleasantries, Suzaku started talking about what he'd really come to say. Well, part of it, anyways. The other he'd have to discuss with Lelouch alone.

"Nunnally, Lelouch. I just wanted to apologize for not making it last night. You know how Lloyd can get, and I can't really say no to Cécile either."

He was considerably more relaxed now that C.C. wasn't the only one in the room. His shoulders rolled back; he leaned into the couch. C.C. kept watching him, but he shrugged off her penetrating gaze as yet another attempt to get another his skin.

"No, I know. It's fine. I wasn't here for part of it either, to be honest." Lelouch smiled apologetically in Nunnally's direction. "We went to the company party for the last half."

"Company party?" Suzaku straightened, a bit shocked. "You don't mean—"

"I still get the invitations," Lelouch explained as casually as he could, but the air immediately changed. Even Nunnally seemed uncomfortable.

"How's Father?" she squeaked and played with the teacup in her lap.

"The same," Lelouch answered shortly and took another sip.

Suzaku didn't quite know what to say. He opened his mouth then shut it abruptly and threw a glare in C.C.'s direction. She didn't seem interested in the conversation. Either that, or she was just feigning disinterest which was very possible given why she was with Lelouch in the first place.

This seemed a good time to take Lelouch aside, but before he got the chance, Lelouch changed the topic. His eyes had been flicking to C.C.'s chest periodically, and now he was blatantly staring at her with the same sort of haggard exasperation and resignation that was on his face often nowadays.

"C.C., I thought I told you to stop wearing my clothes."

Nunnally giggled, and the atmosphere lightened just as quickly as it'd changed before.

C.C. sighed. "Well, you don't give me money enough to buy my own clothes, do you?"

"You _would_ have enough if you just stopped spending it all on _pizza_."

"It can't be helped." She said it so flippantly that Suzaku couldn't help getting angry in his friend's place.

Lelouch's lip twitched. He didn't seem ready to give up on the topic, but Suzaku couldn't let himself be derailed. He tugged on the collar of his shirt, and Lelouch stopped.

"I'll get some more tea," he said and stood.

"I'll help," Suzaku added.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"I just don't get it, Lelouch."

Lelouch stood with his back to his friend. They were speaking in whispers, but given how animatedly Nunnally was talking in the other room, he doubted either of the girls would hear them. Regardless, it was better to be safe than sorry when there was a witch around.

Suzaku took a step forward and placed his hands on the marble counter in the middle of the kitchen.

"Why would you go to the company party, and why would you take _her_. You're already enough on your father's bad side, and if he saw you with _her—_"

"Suzaku, I already told you I have no interest in working for that man again." There was something surprisingly harsh and rough in the way he said it.

Suzaku paused. "I know, but you have to think about Nunnally too. Because she_—_Because she sided with you, she's been_—_"

He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder and then lower his voice even further. "_Disinherited_, too. And with _C.C._ living with you and with the way she spends money on just _pizza._ I just don't understand how you're going to support them both."

He wanted to tell Lelouch to stop seeing C.C. again, but he hesitated. This probably wasn't the best time to bring it up. Plus, there were other, more pressing issues.

"Listen," he continued, "you don't have to work for the company again, but it's been a year, and if you just talk to him, I'm sure he'll take you back into the family. Even if you don't want to, think about how hard it's been on Nunnally."

Suzaku could see Lelouch's grip tighten on the handle of the teapot. He'd hit a sore point, but it was true. He couldn't go on like this, and as his friend, Suzaku wouldn't let him. Lelouch was being awfully quiet, though, and he was about to plead with him again when the other's phone buzzed. It sat on the counter next to his right hand, so he couldn't help but read the text that popped up.

**Cardemonde Rivalz  
**heeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Lelouch! We're still all set for the casino tomorrow right? Are you ready to win us big money again ;P let's hope there's as many rich suckers as there were last week! LOL

Lelouch snatched the phone, but he was too late.

"You're _gambling_ again?" Suzaku asked, the shock in his voice as apparent as it was on his face.

Lelouch smirked very lightly. "Where do you think I get the money for her pizzas?"

_Her_. He knew it. Shirley had worked so hard to stop Lelouch's habit. Now, he was back at it, and it was all because of _her_.

"You have to stop seeing C.C. I don't know what lies she's been feeding you, but she doesn't love you. You haven't told her you've been disinherited and taken out of the will, have you?"

No response.

"_Tell her_. See how she responds. If she doesn't leave you_—_"

"That's enough, Suzaku."

Suzaku refused to be brushed off this time. He'd never seen Lelouch so—so—so—_unreasonable_, and Lelouch had always been the smart one. He was the brains, Suzaku was the brawn. They could do anything together, but now that _woman_ drove a wedge between them, made him out to be some kind of enemy. She was the real enemy. He just needed to get Lelouch to see that. ___  
_

He skirted around the counter and grabbed Lelouch by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

"Lelouch—"

"Oh."

C.C. stood at the doorway, twirling a strand of hair between her forefinger and thumb. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were smiling. The devilish glint in them made Suzaku grit his teeth.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something? Do you need a room? There's one upstairs, you know."

And then, almost in the same breath, "Is this a bad time to tell you I'm pregnant?"

* * *

**author's note: **hahahahaha expect future chapters to come slower idk what i'm doing i'm supposed to be studying orz. anyways, reviews appreciated as always, and i wanna thank everyone who reviewed last time! i'm glad you're all enjoying it, and to mr. nox, ahhh your double review was very helpful, thank you! and to everyone, i hope i don't disappoint c:


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